Two traditions meet. The Euro Czech Canadian and the American New York Hawaiian.

Joanna who grew up in Canada having abundance of free Christmas trees in her back yard, lost the novelty of real trees few years back when she realized how simple fake Christmas tree are: no falling needles, no watering, built in lights.

Robbie even after Joanna put up her fake tree insisted he wanted a real tree smell in the house and insisted they go get one.

Joanna’s guess Robbie didn’t have to ever walk through several feet of snow growing up in Hawaii dragging a tree in below zero weather, and having parents year after year

pointing out to be careful with the fragile glass ball ornaments and when one did fall at least each year shatter to a million pieces

have her untangling lights and trying to find that one light bulb that isn’t working forced to test each one that is keeping the entire string for not working.

reminder to to vacuum up the never endless falling needles

ask if the tree lights were shut off it could start a firer – burn down the house

ask if tree has water because if is dry it could cause a firer – burn down the house

cleaning up the aftermath when Christmas was done – more vacuuming of needles and broken glass ornaments which accidentally broke bringing down the tree.

In California a real tree also doesn’t come free such as they did in Joanna’s childhood backyard. Often starting cost is 50 dollars up. However feeling the tree will only be around for a week Robbie and her went to a tree farm up in the hills behind their home and found the best Charlie Brown tree they could, since that was all that was left. The manager a young kid of the tree farm gave us a deal and let us pay 20 dollars explaining his boss told him let no one leave without a tree since it was the last day they would be open before the holidays.